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Ford Fiesta Engine Spark Plugs Replacement Guide
How to check or change the engine spark plugs in a 6th generation 2009-2015 Ford Fiesta with the 1.6L I4 motor.

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2013 Fiesta 1.6L I4 Engine
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Rubber Ignition Coil Housing
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Gently Pull Out Coil
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the sixth generation (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and possibly also the 2016 model year) Ford Fiesta sedan or hatchback in checking or changing the engine spark plugs in the Duratec 1.6 liter inline four cylinder Ti-VCT motor.

Owners of other Ford vehicles equipped with the Sigma series of engines including the Zetec or Duratec versions including the Focus, Fusion, Puma, EcoSport C-Max and Mondeo may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The items needed to complete this procedure include a pair of pliers, a 5/8" spark plug socket, a 6" extension bar, a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench and a tube of dielectric grease.

The iridium tipped OEM spark plugs are Ford part # CYFS-12-YEC or CYFS12YEC.

Other compatible replacement spark plugs with their part numbers are as follows: Denso (5339) ITV20, Pulstar EF1H10, ACDelco # 17 (or 88879892), Autolite XP5363, Champion RE10PYPB5 (7437) and Motorcraft SP-525.



 
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Ignition Coil Removed
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Spark Plug Well
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5/8" Spark Plug Socket
The first step is to open the hood. If your Fiesta is equipped with a plastic engine cover, pull it straight off and set it aside in a safe place.

If you have access to compressed air or a wet/dry shop vacuum, thoroughly clean off the top of the engine to help prevent from having debris fall down in to the spark plug well or the the cylinder head.

Pull the rubber ignition coil housing straight out of the well.

If you have trouble removing the ignition coil, use a pair of pliers to gently pull it up.

Attach the 5/8" spark plug socket to a six inch extension bar and the 3/8" ratcheting wrench.

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Loosen Counterclockwise
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Spin Out By Hand
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Lift Out Old Spark Plug
Lower the socket over the old spark plug.

Loosen the old spark by rotating it counterclockwise.

Try to avoid using excessive force to loosen the old spark plug to prevent from cracking the ceramic portion of the plug.

If you have trouble loosening the old spark plug, spray a small amount of penetrating oil such as PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench or Kano Kroil and wait at least 15-30 minutes before attempting to loosen it again. If you don't have any penetrating oil, try spraying some WD-40 or warm up the engine for a few minutes to help expand the metal engine block.

Once the old spark plug is loose, detach the ratcheting wrench and spin it out the rest of the way by hand.

Lift the old spark plug out of the well and detach it from the socket.



 

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Inspect Old Iridium Plug
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Lower In New Spark Plug
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Tighten Clockwise

Inspect the old spark plug.

If the electrode end of the old spark plug looks ashy white, the plugs may have been exposed to high temperatures such as overheating or they may be the incorrect heat range for your driving conditions or environment.

On the other hand, if the old spark plug is grey or covered in dark black soot, the engine may be burning oil and should be examined by a professional mechanic.

(An optional step is to apply some anti-seize grease to the threads on the spark plug. Most spark plug manufacturers recommend that you should not use anti-seize grease since it can lead to over tightening. Some mechanics believe that using anti-seize grease on the spark plugs will help prevent them from becoming stuck or "frozen" in to the cylinder head if they are not removed again for 100,000 miles.)

If you have a spark plug gap gauge, check that the new spark plugs are gapped to the manufacturer's specification listed on the side of the box. They should be pre-set from the factory, so don't worry if you don't have a gap gauge.

The OEM spark plugs in this 2013 Ford Fiesta hatchback with the Duratec 1.6L I4 engine were part number CYFS12YEC.

I recommend buying the Denso (5339) ITV20 iridium tipped spark plugs since they have great reviews on Amazon specifically for Ford vehicles.

Push the new plug in to the socket and lower it down in to the well.

Your 5/8" spark plug socket should have a rubber insert or a strong magnet to hold it securely in place.

Spin in the new spark plug by hand in the clockwise direction until it makes contact with the cylinder head.

Attach the 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench to the extension bar and continue tightening the new spark plug in the clockwise direction.

If you are re-installing the old spark plug, tighten it to just a very small fraction of a turn past hand tight.

If you are installing a brand new spark plug, tighten it to just past the point when you feel the new crush washer collapse.

Do not over tighten the spark plug to prevent from cracking the ceramic body or stripping the aluminum threads.

Double check that the new spark plug is tight before moving on to the next steps.

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Apply Dielectric Grease
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Lower In Ignition Coil
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Push Firmly In Place
Apply a small amount of dielectric grease to the opening in the rubber dust boot at the bottom of the ignition coil.

The dielectric grease will help keep out any moisture and prevent corrosion (rust) from forming.

Lower the ignition coil down in to the spark plug well and over the top of the new spark plug.

Firmly push in the ignition coil until it is flush with the top of the engine.

Start the engine and listen closely for any strange sounds that may indicate a problem such as a faulty wire or a loose spark plug.

For more, check out my other 2009-2015 Ford Fiesta DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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